The Washington critic., 1887-12-10
A CONTINUOUS coNGREss.

A CONTINUOUS CONGRESs.
The New Yorl, Evening Post of Thurs
day points ont with much clearness and
force the disadvantages under which
the legislative branch Of the Govern
mcnt labors, by reason of the long period
olapsing between the election of mem
bers Of Congress and the beginning of
their regular term of service also, on
account Of the absolute dissolution of
the House every two years and the cont
scQucnt necessity Of new biennial
organization.
As u result, much valuable time Is
wasted, as we all know, at the beginning
of thc long session, little if anything
of importance being usually done until
after the holidays, while the close of the
second or short session being crowded
with matters and measures that must Of
necessity fail if not acted upon by the
fatal Fourth of Manh, becomes scene
of unutterable confusion, in which many
bills that should pass avg crowded out of
place and bills that ousht not to pass
ave imc and npain smugglcd through
despite the kcenest vigilance of their
opponents.
lur end comes. The House is no
moro. Its unfinished business goes TO
the refuse heap. 1t represents so much
labor fruitlcssly cxpended-so much
time hopelessly lost. Whatever is left
undonc must be begun over again two
years later, if it is ever revived at all.
In illustration of the contrast fur
nshed by the Senate, which is Il con-
tinuing body and always organized for
action, with the House, which is per-
ishablc body, having brief and fixed
iimt of existence, Our New York con-
temporary refers to the constitutional
amendment for change Of Inaugllra-
tiun Day which the Senate unanimously
passed last winter, but which in the
turmoil of the short session" of the
Home was lost sight of and utterly
cudcd the good intentions of its friends.
The amendment, it win be recollected,
went to the Judiciary Committee, but
for various reasons, one of which was II
death in the family Of Judge Tucker, it
was ItNtl poiht
the Evening Post says:
1t is true that the committee intended TO re-.
port II with un amendment, and It is true that
family bereavement added to the delay; but the
fact nevertheless remains that so important a
measure as constitutional amendment, which
had passed the other branch of the Legislature
with unanimity and received In an unusual de-
gree tho commentator of the public press and
n many constitutional students, was defeated
by the torpidity Of single committee.
The. House breathing its last, the
amendment died with it, and will have
to be dealt with by the present Congress
as an entirely new and original proposi-
ton.
The Senate, however, never dies-is
never dissolved. Its functions 90 on
without interruption. "Why," asks
the Post, "should system which has
been proved bad be retained at one end
Of the Capitol, when at the other end
of the same building can be found q
system which ninety-eight years of ex.
perence show to be almost faultless?"
To remedy the obvious evils of such
an incongruity, two constitutional
amendments are suggested. One OF
these provides for the termination OF
the Fiftieth Congress on the 30th day Of
April, 1889, and the commencement O.
the Presidents official term on the sam,
date. 10 this there can be no serious
objection.
The other opens wide field for dis
cussion and criticism as to details, but S,
far as the principle Of continuance is in
volved, suggests much needed reform
of methods. 1t provides that the House
like the Senate, shall be a continuing
body, and that its Members shall b.
divided into two classes, so that half ma,
be chosen every year, their official tern
to begin on the first Monday of Decembe
of the same year in which they ar
chosen. Under this system the organi
zation of the House would be pcrpetuate,
as in the Senate without lapse. Th
amendment then provides:
To give effect TO this article the House Of Rel
resentativcs in being at the time of its ratiics
ton shall divide the Representatives of the mex
Congress into two classes, apportioning betwee
them as equally as may be the Representative
Of each State when the two classes are thu
formed, II shall be determined by lot whic
shall hold their seats FOR two years, and whic
shall hold their seats for three years In the frs
instance. The successors of each class sha
thereafter be chosen In alternate years Tl
terms Of Office Of all senators and Represents
tiyes which otherwise would expire on the It
of March, shall continue until the first Monda
In December following.
TUT QUESTION Of liscrimino otin